Issue 145
September 2016
Angela Lee isn’t just the youngest champion in MMA history – she’s a promoter’s dream with the potential to be a global sensation
?Angela Lee
One Championship Atomweight champion
Alias: Unstoppable
Age: 20
Team: Evolve MMA
Record: 6-0
Watch Angela Lee’s most recent fight against Mei Yamaguchi and you’ll see why she’s destined to be mixed martial arts’ next megastar. Not only is she young, talented, attractive and a champion, she can fight like hell too.
At the beginning of last year, few people knew who Angela Lee was outside the family-run United MMA gym in Waipahu, Hawaii, and the islands’ amateur scene. But she had already caught the eye of Asia’s largest mixed martial arts promotion.
Lee joined One Championship and made short work of her professional debut in May last year. It took her just 103 seconds to win by armbar. That caught the attention of martial arts mega team Evolve MMA in Singapore. After a grueling tryout, she was asked to take her place as a full-time member of the squad along with her brother Christian. It was a huge opportunity, but not one the teenagers took without a second thought.
“It was definitely something me and my family had to talk about,” she tells FO. “At the time I’d never been away from home, so it was a big step for us. I’m really glad though. I love it here, it’s like my second family. It’s been great.”
After dropping out of her business administration degree in the Aloha State to put down roots at the world-renowned gym, she collected four more quick stoppages in nine months. ‘Unstoppable’ had lived up to her moniker. But one thing still eluded her and she wasn’t shy about letting her bosses know.
“I told them I’ll fight anyone,” she says. “I just keep saying I wanted to fight again so they just kept throwing me people. As soon as I got signed I did some research on the fighters in the organization and I realized there wasn’t a women’s champion yet. So that’s what my main goal was.
“I would drop hints in some of my interviews,” she adds with a giggle. “I would do most of my talking in the cage and I made a point to do my best in every one of my fights to really make and impression and say, ‘Look at me, I’m an eligible contender for this title.’”
It didn’t take long for her to get her wish, but it came along with a huge step up in competition. In May this year Lee faced Mei Yamaguchi for the organization’s inaugural atomweight championship. It was one of the most dramatic fights in the history of women’s MMA.
The One Championship 42 main event had everything. Near-knockouts and plenty of submission close calls littered 25 minutes that seem destined to end up in the running for 2016’s ‘Fight of the Year’ at the Fighters Only World MMA Awards. The crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium absolutely loved it. And so did Lee.
“Oh man, I was so happy with the fight and I couldn’t have asked for a better opponent,” she says. “Mei was great. The scrambles, the back-and-forth exchanges between us – we really got to show the high caliber of women’s MMA. I thought it was a real big game-changer because a lot of people disregard it because it was a women’s fight, but we got to show a full arsenal of techniques.
“I knew she was going to be really tough because this chick has never been finished. She’s got no quit. I was definitely caught off-guard in the third (when Yamaguchi knocked her down) but all I was thinking was, ‘Survive this. Try and recover.’ I was kind of in autopilot, but that’s where the training comes in and natural instincts.”
At the end of a breathless 25 minutes, Lee’s hand was raised and, at 19, she became the sport’s youngest ever elite-level world title holder. Demand is high for her first defense to be a rematch, and Lee admits that she’d be fine with that.
“I don’t mind giving her a rematch to Mei. She’s a great opponent and if she wants that I’d be more than happy,” she adds. But then promises one difference in their second encounter. “If I were to face Mei again, I know I’d be able to finish her.”
As well as a gold belt and a place in MMA history, Lee’s performance was an incredibly lucrative one. As well as a $50,000 bonus for ‘Fight of the Night’, One chairman Chatri Sityodtong announced Lee had signed a new contract that made her one of the highest-paid female athletes in the sport – earning more than UFC champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Invicta champion Cris ‘Cyborg’.
However, the new face of Asian women’s MMA says that won’t affect the way she approaches her career. “I still feel the same,” she adds. “I’m just a girl out here doing what I love to do – training and fighting. I don’t pay too much attention to the money part. I’m able to provide and give back to my parents. They’ve always provided everything for me and now I can help give back to them.”
The new deal ties Lee to One, but that hasn’t stopped her dreaming of fighting the most dangerous women across the Pacific Ocean. “I always tell everyone I’m down to fight anyone. It doesn’t matter which organization and where they come from. It’s up to One Championship. Of course, I want to fight the best in the world. I want to prove myself – that I’m a legit champion.”
Demand could soon be high for Lee to do that. She’s an MMA executive’s dream, boasting everything an athlete needs to be able to sell a fight, a brand or a product across the globe. She represents Singapore because of her father’s heritage, but has ties to Korea through her mother, was born in Canada and raised a US citizen. Most important, she’s got the skills to compete and put on a show.
The UFC would surely love to have her as its spearhead for a major breakthrough into the Asian market, but it would take something seismic for One to part with their golden girl.
Strapping 12lb of championship hardware around her waist was just the start for Angela Lee. This girl is going to be a star. And you can bet fans will see much more of her for years to come.
Teenage dream
Like kids in a candy store
Lee and her brother Christian (aged 18) are two of the youngest fighters in One, but how does affect their approach to their fighting careers? “At times we’re just kids,” Angela admits. “Before the fights we just go to the store and buy loads of snacks and candy to celebrate.”
And how about sharing mats with a gym full of experienced champions? “We’re training and fighting with these guys that are quite a bit older than us, but we just do our thing when we step in that cage.
“The learning potential is endless,” she adds. “We just want to continue learning, upgrading our skills. We learn something new every day. Right now we’re barely at 50%, so I’m really excited to see what’s in store.”
Team Lee
Brothers and sisters in arms
As well as brother Christian, Angela has two other siblings – Victoria (12) and Adrian (10) – who have already begun martial arts competition.
“It’s awesome seeing them enjoying it as much as we do,” she says. “It’s something we all share in common. Maybe one day you’ll have all four of us in One Championship. That would be amazing.”
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